Improvement in game-boards



S. KEIMIG.

GAME-BOARD N o 1 8 5 Z 3 9 P vate nte d D e c 1 2, 1 8 7 NrrEE IMPROVEMENT IN GAM E-BOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,239, dated December 12, 1876; application filed October 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SEvERiN KEIMIG, of Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Bagatelle, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved bagatelle. Fig. 2 is a top view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line c c, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures.

This invention relates to an improvement of the game-table known as bagatelle 5 and consists of a series of new combinations, and of various details of construction, all as hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, the letter A represents the frame or body of my improved bagatelle The same is box-shaped, of quadrangular, oval, or other suitable form, open on top, and is made of wood or other material, and supported in an inclined position by afoot or other suitable support, a, as shown. Within this box A is secured, on suitable ledges b b, or otherwise, the bagatelle-table proper, B, in such a way that the sides and upper endl oi' the box project above the face of such table B. The table B is made shorter than the box A, so that access may be had to the lower front portion of the box, and to theballs that are dropped into said box. D is a bridge or raceway placed lengthwise overthe center of the table B, and supported in suitable manner above the .ksurfaee of such table. The upper end of this bridge does not extend to the up,- per end of the box, so a ball rolled along the bridge must fall over the upper end thereof upon the table B. The lower end of the bridge D carries a propelling device, E, which consists of a suitable spring-plunger, d, incased in a box or barrel, e, that is rigidly secured to the bridge or table B. The plunger passes through a hole in the barrel, which hole is larger in diameter than the plunger, so as to allow the latter a certain degree of lateral play and render it more difficult to propel a ball along the center line of the bridge D. At or near its upper end the bridge D is provided with a small depression, f, for the support of a ball which it is the object of the game should be struck by the ball propelled by the plunger d. The bridge D carries, at the sides of its central course, upwardly-project-ing pins g g, which the propelled ball will or may strike in case it is not properly directed. In this case the propelled ball will not strike the ball that is placed upon the upper endA of the bridge.

The table B is perforated at several places at the sides and under the bridge D, as at h h, each'aperture being sufficiently large to allow the ball used in the game to drop through the table. Projecting pins i rrare distributed over the face of the table B, and arranged at suitable distances apart, so as to form hinderanees to the progress of the balls that fall from the bridge, and to detiect such balls from the course which otherwise they would take. One ball channel or passage, j, I prefer to form, by pins t i, directly beneath the bridge D, said channel leading to an aperture beneath the lower end of the bridge. Several side channels, K K, lead from the channel j to several of the apertures h of the table, as in Fig. 2. Above each apertureis pivoted, to a staple that is rigidly secured to the table B, a tablet, l, that carries a ligure, letter, or 11umeral indicating the value of the aperture as to the game-such as the numerals 50, 100, or the like. These tablets are inclined in their normal position, so that the numerals printed on them. will be out of View; but when'a ball enters the aperture it strikes a projection on the lower part of the tablet, and

thereby raises it into a position that will allow the numeral or mark thereon to be read. In this way the tablets indicate, automatically, which hole is occupied by a ball and the corresponding value obtained.

In order to cause the balls to remain in the apertures for as long a time as it may be desired, I apply, directly beneath the table B, a perforated sliding spril'lg-plate, F, the perforations in which, in its normal position', are out of line withthose in the plate B, so that the balls that drop into the perforations of the table B will rest on the plate F; but when the spring-plate F is drawn forward lby a suitable knob or handle,- m,'the apertures in the plates B and F will coincide, and the balls will drop through the holes in the plate F upon the bottom of the boX, and thence, owing to the inclined position of the box, will roll forward against the lower end of the boX.

The bottom of the box A is made with a hinged section, n, which may be opened'toVY give access to the spring o of the board F whenever desired. Those balls which, falling from the bridge upon the table, do not enter any of the apertures h, will be arrested 'either by some of the pins t', or will roll to the lower end of the table B, where they are, or may be, arrested by a row of pins, p10, or equivalent stops. f

I claim as my inventionl. In combination with the central raised bridge, which carries the propelling apparatus at one end, the table B, placed below said bridge, and provided with a series of apertures, h h, disposed at the sides of said bridge, and with a series of projecting pins or detents, L i, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the perforated table B and lower supporting-slide F with the vibrating balanced tablet l, whose shank eX- tends into the aperture h, so that it-will be displaced by a ball entering said aperture, but brought to its normal position by its own weight as soon as the ball leaves said aperture, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination of the perforated sliding spring-plate F with the perforated bagatelle-table B, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. The combination of the perforated slid- Ying spring-plate F with the perforated bagatelletable B and vibrating tablet l, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the raised bridge VD, the ball-channel j, having branches beneath said bridge, as described.

6. The box A, made with the hinged section n in its bottom, and with the spring o of the sliding plate F, substantially as specified.

SEVERIN KEIMIG.

Witnesses:

ERNEST C. WEBB, A. V. BRIESEN. 

